Weight-compensator.



PATENTBD JAN. 7, 1908.

W.- G. STEPHEN. WEIGHT GOMPENSATOR.

APPLICATION FILED r113. 23. 1907 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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PATENTED JAN. '7, 1908. W G. STEPHEN.

WEIGHT OOMPENSATOR.

APPLICATION FILED I'EB. 2a. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W172? asses I Int/62210!" WILLIAM C. STEPHEN, OF ST' LOUIS, MISSOURI.

WEIGHT-COMPENSATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. '7, 1908.

Applicatien filed February 23. 1907. Serial No. 358,828-

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLiAM O. STEPHEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri,

have invented certain new and useful Iinprovements in IVeightCompensators, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to weight compensators for use in connection withwindowsash, sliding doors, stage-curtains, elevator gates, or anysimilar contrivance which must be balanced by a weight, and has for itsobject to provide an economical but efficient substitute for the oldstyle sash weights, thereby obviating the necessity of provid ing in theframes side-pockets in which said weights are carried.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, in which likenumbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 isa front elevation, partly broken away, of a window-sash equipped withthe herein-described invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing theparts in startingposition in full lines and in advanced position indotted lines Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive are detailed views of variousmembers; and Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the device.

To the stile 1 of the sash a sash-cord or chain 2 is secured, saidsash-cord passing through a perforation 3 in the top-rail 4 of thewindowframe within which the sash slides, said cord connecting the sashto the weight compensator. WVhile, in ordinary house-construction, itwill be found preferable, for the sake of appearances, to have theweight compensator placed out of sight, either above the window-frame orwithin the space between the frame and the wall, it may, however, belocated elsewhere. In many cases where it is necessary to counterbalancerising, swinging, or sliding doors, partitions, or the like, as infactories, freight-houses, and similar places, it is very desirable tohave the device in an exposed or accessible position, so that it mayeasily be oiled, repaired, or adjusted. In such cases, the sash-cord 2may pass from the door or window over any suitable pulley or pulleys, sothat the weight-compensator can be set in any part of the building whereit may be conveniently located.

' The operating parts of the device are mounted between side-plates 5,or, in lieu thereof, other standards or casing may be provided in whichthe parts are held. One end of sash-cord 2 is fastened at 6 to a sideplate 5, the opposite end of the cord being secured to the sash within arecess 7 countersunk in stile 1 thereof. At one end of plates 5 groovedpulleys 8 are journaled, there being shown in the drawings, for example,four such pulleys, and the one on the side opposite to the plate 5 towhich the sash-cord 2 is fastened being directly above the perforation3. Supported by plates 5 is a shaft 9 on which a bifurcated lever 10rocks, pulleys 11 being j ournaled in the end of said lever opposite tothat at which said lever is pivoted, the number of pulleys 1 1 beingequal to the number of pulleys 8. The sash cord 2 passes from itsfastening 6 over the first pulley 11, thence over the first pulley 8,thence over the second pulley 11 and second pulley 8, etc., etc.,passing, finally, from the last pulley 8 through perforation 3 to thepoint where it is fastened to the sash. WVhen the sash is raised to thetop of the casing, the lever 10 occupies the position depicted in fulllines, Fig. 2, but as the sash is lowered the sashcord 2 causes saidlever to swing toward the position shown in dotted lines, such movement,however, being against the resistance of spring 12, as will presently beset forth, said spring tending, also, to cause the parts to returnautomatically from the position shown in dotted lines to that indicatedby the full lines, or to assist in moving the sash in the oppositedirection, or to balance the sash so that it will remain in any positionto which it may have been moved. If, as shown by way of example in thedrawings, there are four pulleys 8 and a like number of pulleys 11,sash-cord 2 passing over each, it is obvious that a movement of sayeight inches'by the sash will cause the lever 10 to be swung so that theaxis of pulleys 11 moves one inch. If sash-cord 2 should pass over onlyone pulley 11 and one pulley 8, the sash would move two inches to everyone inch of movement given to pulleys 11. By changing the number ofpulleys 8 and 11 over which sash-cord 2 passes, more than four pulleysin each series being supplied where necessary, the relative rate oftravel of the sash and lever 10 can be regulated in a manner familiar tothose skilled in the art.

In the side-plates 5 a bell-crank lever 13 is journaled,.said leverbeing, preferably, constructed as shown in Fig. 4', and havingperforations 14 through which pintles 15, 16,

and 17 pass. A link 18, pivoted at one end to lever 10 and at the otherto pintle 16, connects lever 10 and bell-crank 13, so that, as lever 10is rocked about its axis 9, bell-crank 13 will simultaneously be swungabout its axis 15. A plate 19, upon the ends of which are formed eyes20, connects bell-crank 13 to stirrup 21, a pintle 17 being insertedthrough one of said eyes and through perforations 1 1 in the bell-crank12, while a pintle 22 passes through the other eye 20 and perforations23 in the stirrup, and, as bell-crank 13 is rocked upon its axis, plate19 will be moved vertically, such motion, of course, being communicate'dto stirrup 21.

One end of spring 12 seats in stirrup 21, being held therein by screws24, and, as stirrup 21 is moved vertically, said end of spring 12 is,likewise, raised or lowered. A yoke 25, through perforations 26 in whichpintle 27 passes, said pintle being inserted, likewise, throughperforations in the side-plates 5, passes over said spring 12 and limitsthe upward movement thereof, so that, as stirrup.

21 is raised, the right-hand end of spring 12 (Fig. 2) will be bent intothe position shown in dotted lines, the left-hand end remainingpractically unafiected.

The perforation 3 should be protected by a suitable guard-plate 28, andrecess 7 by plates 29. A screw 30 regulates the tension of spring 12.

The operation of the device may be summarized as follows: Vfhen the sashis lowered, sash-cord 2 rocks lever 10 toward the left, Fig. 2. By meansof link 18, bell-crank 13, and plate 19, such motion of lever 10 iscommunicated to stirrup 21, which moves upward against the pressure ofspring 12. The tension of this spring is so regulatable as exactly tocounterbalance the weight of the sash, so that, as the sash is moved toany position, it will there be held by the spring 12. The sash may,accordingly, be raised and lowered at will, and will stay fixed in anydesired position, since the spring 12 performs the same function as acounterweight.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters- Patent is:

1. In aweight-compensator, the combination of a cord, one end of saidcord being movable and the other end fixed, a lever having' a fixedfulcrum, and pulleys journaled in axial alinement on said lever, saidcord passing over said pulleys and causing movement of said lever.

2. In a weight-compensator, the combination of a member to becounterweighted, a lever having a fixed fulcrum having axially aliningpulleys thereupon, and means connecting said member to said lever,whereby the movement of said member causes a rocking of said lever.

In a weight-compensator, the combination of a member to becounterweighted, a lever having a fixed fulcrum having axially aliningpulleys thereupon, a cord connecting said member and said lever therebyto actuate the lever on movement of said member, and means to resist themovement of said lever.

4-. In a weight-compensator, the combination of a member to becounterweighted,. a lever having a fixed fulcrum having axially aliningpulleys thereupon, a cord connecting said member and said lever therebyto actuate the lever on movement of said member, and a spring subject tothe tension of which said lever moves.

5. In a weight-compensator, the combination of a member to becounterweighted, a lever having a fixed fulcrum having axially aliningpulleys thereupon, means connecting said member and said lever therebyto actuate'the lever on movement of said member, a spring subject to thetension of which said lever moves, and means intermediate said lever andsaid spring through which the movement of the lever is communicated tothe spring.

6. In a weight-compensator, the combination of a member to becounterweighted, a lever, means whereby the movement of said membercauses movement of said lever, a spring subject to the tension of whichsaid lever moves, a bell-crank, means connecting said bell-crank to saidlever, and means connecting said bell-crank to said spring.

7. In a weight compensator, the combination of a member to becounterweighted, a lever, means whereby the movement of said membercauses movement of said lever, a bell-crank, a link connecting saidbell-crank to said lever, a spring and means connecting said bell crankto said spring.

8. In a weight-compensator, the combination of a member to becounter-weighted, a bell-crank, a leaf spring, means moved by saidbell-crank and connecting saidbell-crank to said spring, a cord pulledby the counterweighted member, and means intermediate said cord and saidbell-crank whereby move ment of said counterweighted member causesmovement of said bell-crank.

9. In a weight-compensator, the combination of a member to becounterweighted, a bellcr,ank, a spring, a stirrup in which said springseats, means connecting said bell-crank to said stirrup, and meansintermediate said member and said bell-crank, whereby move ment of saidmember causes movement of said bell-crank.

10. In a weight-compensator, the combination of a member to becounterweighted, a leaf-spring, means adjacent one end of the spring foradjusting the tension thereof, means adjacent the middle of the springfor limiting the upwardmovement thereof, and means intermediate saidmember and said spring whereby said member is caused to move subject tothe tension of said spring.

11. In a weight-compensator, the combination of a member to beeounterweighterl, a leaf spring, a tension-regulator at one end thereof,means connecting the end opposite said first-mentioned end to saidmember, whereby said member is caused to move subject to the tension ofsaid spring, and means intermediate the ends of said spring and limitingthe movement thereof.

12. In a weight-compensator, the combi nation of a member to becounterweighted, a leaf spring, means for adjusting the tension thereof,means connecting said spring to said member, whereby said member iscaused to move subject to the tension of said spring, and a yokeengaging said spring and limiting the movement thereof.

13. In combination with a member to be counterweighted and a framewithin which said member moves a plurality of axially alining pulleyssupported on said frame, a rocking lever supported by said frame,axially alining pulleys carried by said lever, and a cord attached atone end to the frame and at the other to the member to becounterweighted, said cord passing over said first-mentioned and saidsecond-mentioned pulleys, said cord, upon motion of said member,communicating motion to said lever.

14. In combination with a member to be counterweighted and a framewithin which said member moves, a plurality of standards, axiallyalining pulleys j ournaled in said standards, a rocking lever journaledin said standards, axially alining pulleys journaled in said lever, anda cord attached at one end to a standard and at the opposite end to themember to be counterweighted, said cord passing over saidfirst-mentioned and said second mentioned pulleys, said cord, uponmotion of said member, communicating motion to said lever.

15. In combination with a member to be counterweighted and a framewithin which said member moves, a plurality of standards, pulleysjournaled in said standards, a rocking lever journaled in saidstandards, pulleys journaled in said lever, a spring carried in thestandards, means intermediate the lever and the spring, and a cordattached at one end to the member to be counterweighted and passing oversaid first-mentioned and said second-mentioned pulleys, said cord, uponmotion of said member, communicating motion to said lever, said leverbeing subject to the tension of said spring.

16. In combination with a member to be' counterweighted a plurality ofstandards, pulleys journaled in said standards, a rocking leverjournaled in said standards, pulleys journaled in said lever, a springsupported by the standards, a bell-crank, means connecting the lever tothe bell-crank, means connected to the bell-crank and the spring, and acord attached at one end to the member to be counterweighted and passingover said first-mentionml and said secondmentioned pulleys, said cord,upon motion of said member, comnmnicating motion to said lever, saidlever being subject to the tension of said spring.

17. A weight-compensator having a member to be eounterweighted, ayielding means, and a pair of rocking elements, said member beingconneeed to said yielding means through said rocking elements.

18. A weight-compensator having a member to be counterweighted, ayielding means, a pair of rocking elements, means connecting saidelements to each other, means intermediate said elements and said memberconnecting said member to said rocking elements, and means intermediatesaid elements and said yielding means whereby the rocking of saidrocking elements is communicated to said yielding means.

19. A weight-compensator having a member to be counterweighted, a pairof rocking elements, means connecting said elements to each other, acord connecting said member to one of said elements, a spring, and meansintermediate said spring and said other rocking element connecting saidelement to said spring.

20. A weight-compensator having a member to be countcrweighted, aplurality of suitably-journaled pulleys, a pair of rocking elements, acord passing over said pulleys and connecting said member to one of saidrocking elements, means connecting said rocking elements to each other,a spring, and means intermediate said spring and said other rockingelement.

21. In a device of the character described, the combination of a memberto be counterweighted, a flexible means, rocking means actuated by saidflexible means, a yielding means, and a pair of longitudinally-movingmembers connecting said rocking means to said yielding means.

22. In a device of the character described, the combination of a me nberto be counterweighted, a flexible means, rocking means actuated by saidflexible means, a yielding means, and a pair of longitudinally-movingmembers connecting said rocking means to said yielding means, saidmembers being normally disposed approximately at right angles to eachother.

23. In a device of the character described, the combination of a memberto be counterweighted, a flexible means, rocking means actuated by saidmember, a yielding means, and a moving member intermediate said yieldingmeans and said rocking means, each end of said last-mentioned memberhaving an arcuate course of travel.

24. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a member to be counter- I Weighted, a flexible means,rocking means actuated by said member, a yielding means, and alongitudinally-moving member i11- termediate said yielding means andsaid rocking means, said last-mentioned member being in pivotalconnection With said rocking means.

25. In a device of the character described, I

the combination of a member to be counter- 1 Weighted, a flexible means,rocking means actuated by said member, a yielding means, and a memberintermediate said yielding means and said rocking means, and being inpivotal relation With said yielding means 15 and With said rockingmeans. In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence oftwo Witnesses.

WILLIAM C. STEPHEN. Witnesses: ELLIOTT R. GOLDSMITH, CHAS. A. BECKER.

